Conical cup dispenser



July 4, 1939. s. N. HOPE 2,164,406

W CONICAL CUP DISPENSER Filed Feb. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 $316.4 FIG Z I INYENTOR July 4, 1939.

S. N. .HOPE

CONICAL' CUP DISPENSER Filed Feb. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TIM 3 llltll WITNESSES 2a 21 IIIIA 8 z INVENTOR Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES ZJBMtt PATENT OFFICE,

Application February 26, 1937, Serial No. 127,858

. 6 Claims.

The invention relates to cup dispensers and more particularly to dispensers for nested conical cups.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified dispenser from which a stack of nested articles, such as conical paper cups, may readily be withdrawn one at a time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cup dispenser having an improved form of cup-protecting casing which is capable of economical manufacture, and which is' readily opened to facilitate loading of the dispenser with a stack of nested cups.

A further object is to provide a cup dispenser having simple, easily assembled, and conveniently operated retaining means for the dispenser case ing.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a cup dispenser constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the dispenser;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the dispenser;

Fig, 4 is a sectional elevation of the dispenser taken generally along the line l-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the dispenser taken generally along the line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the dispenser with a casing member thereof swung open, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of a latch and its spring means, taken generally along the line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing means for retaining the movable casing member in closed position; v

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a dispensing plate of the device, showing the lowermost cup as it appears when partially withdrawn and about to leave the plate, and also showing the following;

cup in transverse section, and

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a modified form sheet metal mounting plate l2 with outt'urned downwardly converging flanges l3. The flanges I3 are adapted to be wedgingly but removably received-in the opposite hooked edges M of an apertured sheet metal bracket l5, and th bracket is secured to a supporting wall l6 by screws ll. Alternatively, the flanges i 3 ofthe mounting plate l2 may directly engage the supporting wall, the bracket being omitted, and for this purpose the back plate and mounting'plate are provided with screw-receiving openings l8 so that the dispenser may be directly attached to the wall.

The back plate has formed thereon forwardly projecting, vertical, parallel, side flanges l9 and aforwardly projecting horizontal bottom flange 20, the several flanges being bent from the back plate. A horizontal sheet metal dispensing plate 2| is positioned between the lower portions of the back plate side flanges l9 and is provided with upstanding flanges 22 at opposlteside edges secured, as by spot-welding'23, to the inner faces of the flanges IS. The rear edge of the horizontal plate 2| rests on the back plate bottom flange 20 and, if desired, is secured thereto, as by spotwelding. The horizontal plate 2i has a downturned front flange 24 to the rear face of which inturned tongues 25 of the side flanges l9 are secured, as by spot-welding 26, Fig. 6. The horizontal plate 2i has formed therein a cupdispensing opening or passage 21 having its edges defined'by downturned flanges 28 and forming rounded supporting surfaces. for a stack of nested conical paper cups 29. The dispensing opening is preferably square in shape and has a. periphery slightly longer than the periphery of the cup rim. The supporting surfaces engage the conically formed side walls of the lowermost cup at peripherally spaced points of the cup and at a distance from the upper edge of the cup, and the tapered end of the cupprojects downwardly from the apertured plate. 7 28 also serve to stifien the dispensing plate. In some instances the dispensing plate 2| may be integral with the back plate, but these plates are preferably formed as separate members. The back plate and dispensing plate together form a frame. v

A casing member" 30 is formed by a pair of embossed side panels 3| and a hook-shaped sheet a metal member 32, which forms a front wall and a rounded top wall. The side panels El have marginal inturned flanges 33 to which the curved opposite edges of the member 32 are secured, as by spot-welding 34, Fig. 6. The downturned front flange 24 of the cup-dispensing plate 20 has a rearwardly offset lower portion 'to the rear face of which one leaf of a hinge 35 is secured, as by spot-welding 36. The axis of the hinge is horizontal and extends transversely of the device. The other leaf is normally adjacent the front face of the flange 24 and is secured, as by rivets 31, to

, the rear face of the lower front wall of the casing member 30. The casing member 30 at its lower portion forms a skirt which projects some distance below the cup-dispensing plate, as seen in Fig. 4, to conceal most of the lowermost downwardly projecting cup. I

The front wall of the casing member is provided with an embossed portion 38 having aligned vertical window slots 39 backed by a transparent strip 40. The strip 40 is retained by a slotted plate 4| secured, as by spot-welding 42, Fig. 6, to the rear face of the casing front wall. The cups in the dispenser may be viewed through the window slots to determine the need for replenishment.

In the closed position of the casing membertion by a vertically movable latch plate 43' which slidably bears against the front face of the back plate and flts between the side flanges l9 of the back plate. The opposite vertical edge portions of the latch plate are offset forwardly at.

44 to form at their lower ends housings for coiled compression springs 45 resting on the dispensing plate 2i and at their upper ends pressing on brackets 46 secured, 'as by spot-welding, to the latch plate, as seen in Fig. 8, thus urging the latch plate upwardly. At its lower end the latch plate is confined against forward displacement by the vertical rear edges 41 (Fig. 8) of the dispensing plate side flanges 22, and at its upper portion by lugs 48 on the back plate side flanges, the lugs being bent inwardly after the latch plate is installed. At its upper end the latch plate is provided with an upwardly projecting tongue 49 which is doubled on itself toform a beveled latch bolt, as seen in Figs. 4, 6, and 9, the bolt entering a recess formed between the rear edge of casing member 30 and a sheet metal bracket 50 secured, as by spot-welding, to the casing member. The latch plate is provided with an opening 5|, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, for access to the' back plate openings l8, and a forwardly projecting actuating tongue 52 for retracting the latch plate is formed on the latch plate at the lower end of the opening 5|. The upward movement of the latch plate 43 is limited by a forwardly projecting flange 53 on the upper edge of the back plate, this flange also stiffening the back plate. The bolt 49 slidably flts in an opening 54 formed in the flange 53 and is engageable with the inner face of the downturned rear portion of the casing member 30, as seen in Figs. 4 and 9, to prevent opening of the casing member. The closing movement of the casing member is limited by the engagement of the downwardly projecting portion of the bracket 50 with the front edge of the back plate flange 53, asseen' 'cup downwardly through the square dispensing opening 21. The cup, being resilient, is deformed as it passes through the dispensing opening, and the upper edge of the cup assumes'a generally square shape as it passes through the opening, as indicated in Fig. 10, the corner portions of the opening forming recesses to receive the deformed cup. The corners of the rim portion or upper edge of the deformed cup are rounded and bear on the edges of the dispensing opening adjacent the corners of the opening, and the sides of the upper edge of this cup are sometimes slightly waved or bowed as indicated in Fig. 10. The deformed cups, being without flanges, can bend to a small radius at the corners. In some instances, the central portions of some or all of the sides of the deformed cup may move inwardly out of contactwith the edges of the dispensing opening, which is also indicated in Fig. 10. However, with a considerable number of cups in the stack, the lowermost cup, during its withdrawal, will generally remain in contact with the central portions of the sides of the dispensing opening. The deformation of the lowermost cup produces a cam action on the succeeding cup which exerts an upward pressure on the stack of cups, preventing them from following the cup being withdrawn. In some instances this upward pressure is suflicient to slightly raise the stack of cups as the lowermost cup is withdrawn. The

succeeding cup generally retains a substantially withdrawn from the dispenser, the upper edge of the withdrawn cup resumes an approximately circular shape.

When refilling is necessary, the attendant releases the casing member 30 from the bolt of the latch plate 43 by pulling the latch plate downwardly by means of its tongue 52. The attendant reaches the tongue 52 by inserting his fingers through the dispensing opening 21. If a few cups remain in the dispenser they are lifted sufliciently to enable the attendant to reach the tongue. The casing member is then swung forwardly and downwardly about its hinge 35 to the suspended position seen in Figs. 6 and 7. A stack of paper cups 29 is then placed on the dispensing plate, being guided by the side-flanges IQ of the back plate, and the casing member is swung upwardly to its closed position, the rear upper edge of the casing member passing over the cam-forming beveled bolt 49 of the latch plate to latched position.

While the dispensing opening is by preference substantially square in shape it is also possible, as shown in Fig. 11, to employ a dispensing plate 2| having a triangular dispensing opening 21',

separating action on thecups is substantially the same as with the dispensing plate 2i ha ving the square opening.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. A cup dispenser 'comprising a back plate having forwardly projecting side flanges, a dispensing member rigidly secured to said flanges and having a cup-dispensing opening the edges of which are adapted to support a stack of nested cups thereon, said plate and member forming a frame, and a casing member pivotally mounted on said frame at a point below said dispensing opening and cooperating with said back plate for housing the stack of cups, the lower portions of the front and opposite sides of said casing member forming a skirt extending below said dispensing opening.

2. A cup dispenser comprising a back plate, a dispensing member secured thereto and having a dispensing opening the edges of which are adapted to support a stack of nested cups thereon, said plate and member forming a frame, a

casing member pivotally mounted on said frame and having a portion adjacent the upper end of said back plate when in closed position, and a spring-urged latch member slidably mounted on said back plate and engageable with said casing member to retain the latter in closed position,

the lower portion of said latch member being adjacent the lower portion of said back plate and out of the path of the cups and accessible through said dispensing opening to release said latch member.

3. A cup dispenser comprising a back plate having forwardly projecting flanges at opposite sides, a dispensing plate secured to said back plate and having a dispensing opening the edges of which are adapted to support a stack of nested cups thereon, said plates forming a frame, a casing member pivotally mounted at its lower portion on said frame and-having an edge portion adjacent the upper end of said back plate when in closed position, a'latch' plate slidably bearing on the front face of said back plate and fitting between said opposite side flanges, said latch plate having forwardly offset side-edge portions, and coiled compression springs disposed between said offset portions and said'back plate and engageable with said latch plate to. urge said latch plate upwardly, the upper portion of said latch plate being engageable with said edge portion to retain said casing member in closed position.

4. In a cup dispenser, the combination of a back plate having spaced forwardly projecting side flanges, a dispensing plate having a cupdispensing opening the edges of which are adapt- .ed to support a stack of nested cups thereon, said dispensing plate having upstanding side flanges secured to the inner faces of said back plate side flanges, said plates forming a frame, a casing member movably secured to saidframe; and a latch plate for said casing member slidably carried by the front face of said back plate and fitting between the side flanges of said back plate, the rear edges of said dispensing plate side flanges confining the lower portion of said latch plate againstforward displacement.

5. In a cup dispenser, the combination of a back*plate, a dispensing plate secured to said back plate and having a cup-dispensing opening the edges of which are adapted to support a stack of nested cups thereon, said dispensing plate having a downwardly projecting front flange,- and a casing member pivotally secured at its front portion to said front flange and cooperating with said back plate to form a housing for the cups, said casing member having a top wall and opposite side walls the rear edges of which are adjacent said back plate when said casing member is in closed position.

6. In a cup dispenser, the combination of a back plate having a forwardly projecting top flange, a dispensing member secured to said back plate and having a cup-dispensing opening the edges of which are adapted to support a stack of nested cups thereon, said plate and member forming a frame, a casing member pivotally mounted at its lower portion on said frame and having an upper rear edge portion adjacent the upper edge of said back plate when in closed position, a downwardly projecting stop member secured to the upper rear edge portion of said casing member and engageable with the front closed position, said top flange limiting the upward movement of said latch means.

SAMUEL N.- HOPE. 

